Reviews by 1759Girl:

Appearance> was pretty unimpressed with the appearance; perhaps it would be a different story were this tap and not bottle.It poured kinda lackluster, with a small head that disappeared quickly. Looks a lot like flat Pepsi.Smell> Much better than the appearance. It is smoky, with lovely grain aroma and chocolate. Quite enticing.Taste> The best part, which it should be. This is a perfect chocolate porter. It has hints of burnt toast, full characteristics of an english porter, but finishing with a soft chocolate-goodness. And impressively there isn't one of those horrible over-spiced hangs that you often get with 'Christmas beer'.Mouf> Very much like its appearance. Identical to flat cola.Drinkability> so-so. And that says alot about the taste. If the mouthfeel matched the taste and smell, I could drink this everyday and maybe MAYBE even say it is my favorite porter, alas mouthfeel is very important.

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3/5 rDev -11.5%look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

50cl bottle with a unique shape shared with the girlfriend. Pours into my glass a deep dark brown with garnet highlights shining through when held to the light. A light fizzy brown head appears and then fades as soon as it came. Aromas start with light roasted grain with a hint of cocoa. Some cardboard/metallic oxidation is present, maybe I held onto this a bit too long. Subtle hops with some raisins and molasses. Not really doing it for me here.

First sip brings a roasted somewhat caramel malt upfront along with a touch of a burnt, almost smoky flavor. Light cocoa flows down with some dark fruits and raisins in tow. Finishes with just a dash of herbal hops on the way down. Overall this one just ends up boring me for a porter.

Mouthfeel is rather light with fast moving carbonation. Goes down easy but doesn't really satisfy me like a normal porter would. Almost seems a bit watery. Overall, I personally found this to be a pretty forgettable brew and I don't see myself going back to it again. Maybe I'll have to try some of the other Ridgeway offerings.

Well, I always like some ass... and have fun with the gimmicky labels... but hey, this really did wind up being a surprisingly nice one! When I heard the name, I said I had to have a case of it, just to say I've had Santa's ass, and well, now I have.
Anywhoo...
So dark and chocolately you cannot see through it, except for a bit of amber/rootbeer at the bottom. Bit of a thin ring of khaki only at the edge of the glass. Great porty/stout scents, dark chocolate yumminess, very good. Light to medium body, the carbination is there, but not too much, not too overwhelming. It does fizz up a bit for a second, but not foamy, you just feel it. Very nice dark tastes, black coffee and chocolate, black licorice, anise. the anise really seems to make it's presence known in the aftertaste. Very easy drinker, good flavors and feel.
This turned out to be not only a fun beer to share with my friends and family for the holidays, but a nice drinker!

I first discovered this beer several years ago while working for a store that excelled in featuring specialty beers. Since then, it's been a required part of Christmas time.

A - One-finger ecru head that's thick around the edge and foamy in the middle. It dissipates in about a minute to a thin film of lace across the surface. Very dark chocolate brown. Held up to a light, it's clear and a deep ruby red.

S - Lots of caramel and toasted malt in the nose. Smells like someone's getting ready to dip apples into a batch of melted caramels on the stove. Hints of vanilla. As it warms and the glass gets room to swirl, rasiny fruit tones emerge.

M - Some carbonation, but body leans toward the thin, watery side. Not much of a finish, but what remains invites another taste. This is perhaps its weakest attribute.

D - A classic English porter. Very drinkable. Flavors are delicious but restrained. Could easily enjoy several of these in a sitting. As a bonus, both the nose and the taste open up into additional fruit-based flavors as it warms in the glass. Most American porters are really junior stouts. This beer does a great job of showing off what it means to be a true porter.

50 cl bottle with label as shown here. Pours a very dark brown body with a small tan head that leaves some sheet lacing. Body exhibits good clarity when held to light.

Aroma is one dimensional, with roasty coffee and notes of chocolate.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, with low carbonation and some syrupy chocolate.

Lots of roasted coffee and bitter chocolate in the taste. Maybe a hint of almond nuttiness and a fleeting note of earthy hop bitterness. The chocolate syrup character is disconcerting here, and diminishes drinkability. A decent English porter, but I wouldn't care for another.

Pours dark brown with a very small head. The aroma is very, very faint with some malty sweetness. The flavor is just simply not very good. I get a strong medicinal flavor and no real roasted malts or anything else you would expect in a porter. Not sure if something is amiss in this beer or if it is just not very good, but I barely finished a 4 oz sample. Low to medium carbonation and medium body.

Overall: Not one of the more exciting Porters out there, not by any stretch of the imagination. But it is enjoyable as a nice, everyday beer. Making it out to be a Winter Porter doesn't help its cause.

Great label, except the expression on Santa's face is not so jolly. Looks a little baboonesque actually.

Inky black with ruby highlights, and an oatmeal colored head that rises up quickly like soda carbonation, and falls quickly with the sounds of exploding bubbles, also like soda. Hardy aroma of clovey spices, some spruce, and a teeny bit of hops. Mouthfeel is thin and watery, a bit chalky. Flavor is not my idea of a porter. Not malty or biscuity, no hints of cocoa or coffee, molasses or fig. That's what it's not, but what is it? Clove and spice, soft ripe apple, some brown sugar, a little yeasty, and minimal hops riding beneath. A bit of a tannic puckery finish. I'm actually confused by this beer. But, again, cool label.

Almost opaque dark brown-black with a chocolate milk froth for a head. The suds thin in a minute or so. Laces sparsely but broadly. Interesting smell, some mocha intonations but strong hints of medium-grade pipe tobacco. Smooth mouthfeel, but the carbonation is too low, verges on flat. The taste showcases mainly malted milk, a lot of sweetness, minimum roastiness or hoppiness going on. There's a slight stale raisin off note going on, a funkiness that's almost mildewy. The flavor and mouthfeel didn't strike me on this one, it settles into almost tasteless on further sips, but the aroma was interesting and my favorite part of the beer.

Appears a pitch black tone at first with ruby highlights when held toward the light. Aroma is upfront with dark fruits and roasted malts a bit of chocolate coffee and mild cherry nice. Flavor has dark roasted malt flavor blended with a bit of Christmas spunk including dark fruits and other variables into the mix. Mouthfeel is medium bodied solid medium bodied even carbonation. Drinkability is solid all around solid drinking Christmas ale I look forward to more of.

Pours a dark ruby/rootbeer color with a little ivory white head that disapates into a tiny ring around the glass.Aroma is raisins and dark fruit, mabye dates.Taste does'nt live up to the aroma.I was a bit disappointed in the taste and mouthfeel.Was hoping for a bigger, more chewy mouthful.Not bad, but, I'm not running out to buy a fridge full.

date reviewed: 25 January 2013...glassware: Victory Hopdevil nonick...occasion: research paper grading, round one...appearance: jet black body that intimidates as only Santa can; off-white rim more like a dirty Santa...aroma: punchy peat malts--with some grassy, oaty--a bit of cornbread(?); this shouldn't diminish the effect....palate: smooth, weighty, active strength--drinkable but stern...taste: a scotch-like experience, with a dialed-down peat and ping--delightfully agreeable...overall: I recall this beer catching flak for its name and label; Santa's nothing if not humorous, so the State needs to take some soma and drink this; juvenile packaging aside, the beer is a medium-strength winter warmer that has me in a giving mood long after the holiday season...

Like a lot of people, I picked this beer up in protest due to it being banned in Maine or some such. The label really isn't that bad, I mean, come on, people!
Anyway, it was a pretty nice beer. Deep brown color with reddish tones when you hold it up to the light. I got a malty aroma with some chocolaty overtones.
There's a bit of coffee in addition to the chocolate flavor. A tinge of bitterness crept in, but not overly so.
I expected it to be a little more full-bodied than it was, the flavor left the tongue quickly. Pretty good, but obviously not perfect.